The founder of Unite for Sight

Medical student Jennifer Staple founded Unite for Sight, an organisation that has improved eye care worldwide. She has received many awards and is profiled in a book about inspirational young leaders, she tells Irina Haivas

By:
Irina Haivas

I founded Unite for Sight (www.uniteforsight.org) during my sophomore year at Yale University in the autumn of 2000. During the previous summer, I worked as a clinical ophthalmology research associate. While interacting with patients who were on a low income, I learnt about eye diseases that could have been prevented by early medical intervention. These patients' stories made me recognise the need for community programmes to promote eye health, and motivated me to found Unite for Sight.

Unite for Sight has grown from a community based, nonprofit organisation in New Haven to an international non-profit body serving 180 000 people in 25 countries. There are currently 90 chapters throughout the world, engaging more than 4000 professionals and students.

If you can see a way to make a difference, it is very important to follow your passions and ideas. Take advantage of established networks to expand your organisation. Unite for Sight